Kevin Harvick holds off Bubba Wallace to snap winless streak

By Bob Pockrass
FOX Sports activities NASCAR Author

BROOKLYN, Mich. — Kevin Harvick went 65 races and not using a win previous to Sunday at Michigan Worldwide Speedway.

So when he took the lead on pit highway with 38 laps remaining after which outpaced the sector, he was elated simply to have a trophy, not to mention earn a berth to the NASCAR Cup Collection playoffs.

“It felt like much more than that,” Harvick stated about his winless streak along with his earlier win coming in September 2020 at Bristol.

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Listed below are three takeaways from Michigan.

NASCAR Cup Collection at Michigan

Full highlights from Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Collection race at Michigan.

Harvick upends playoff image

Harvick entered the race tenth within the level standings however 96 factors out of the playoff cutoff with 4 races remaining within the common season.

His victory vaulted him into the playoffs, the place the regular-season champion after which the 15 drivers primarily based on wins (with ties damaged by factors) comprise the 16-driver area.

“I am extra anxious concerning the trophy,” he stated. “Being in place to win a race is one thing that it’s important to do to even take into consideration having an opportunity at racing for a championship.

“Doing that and figuring out how we have run the final month has been thrilling.”

Truex, Blaney now on the bubble

Martin Truex Jr. and Ryan Blaney swapped spots a few occasions late within the race with Blaney ending fifth and Truex in sixth. However with stage factors earned earlier within the race, Truex earned six extra factors than Blaney to chop the hole between them to 19 factors.

Ryan Blaney displays on season together with factors, wins and the playoffs

Following Michigan, Ryan Blaney displays on his season together with factors, wins and the playoffs.

With 15 winners this 12 months, there can be at most one spot out there within the playoffs for a winless driver primarily based on factors. Blaney is clinging to that spot.

“We’re racing the 19 [of Truex] for factors and attempt to win,” Blaney stated. “We’ll attempt to do each.”

As Harvick did his burnout, Truex knew his state of affairs after going from 96 factors to the nice to now being exterior the bubble trying in.

“We did not know earlier than,” Truex stated. “Now we all know. We have to win. Easy as that.”

Martin Truex Jr. on whether or not he’ll make the NASCAR playoffs

“We’ve obtained to win. Easy as that.”- Martin Truex Jr. on whether or not or not he’ll make the NASCAR playoffs.

Wallace what-if

Bubba Wallace and Harvick began side-by-side on the entrance row on the restart with 35 laps remaining, and Wallace obtained shuffled again to 3rd.

Wallace had among the best automobiles, sat on the pole and led 22 laps. However he got here up empty and puzzled if selecting to start out on the entrance row beside Harvick as a substitute of behind him (and probably pushing him to the place possibly they may separate themselves from the sector) made the distinction.

“You are going up with among the best and Harvick, proper? What do you do? Push him? Race him?” Wallace stated. “And you’ve got that chip in your shoulder. It is like, ‘Man, we have been quick all weekend. I can outrace him.’

“If we had been capable of get away and I used to be ready to stick with him, we may have beat him. It will have been a problem.”

Bubba Wallace speaks on his second-place end at Michigan

Bubba Wallace may solely surprise what may have been and what he may have finished in a different way after his second-place end at Michigan.

Wallace took a number of minutes to compose himself after the race.

“[It’s] a humbling second,” stated Wallace, whose sole Cup victory got here at Talladega final 12 months. “You have to lose one earlier than you win one and simply pleased with the momentum that we’re on. … I’ll carry this one with me for some time. I failed the crew.”

Bob Pockrass has spent many years protecting motorsports, together with the previous 30 Daytona 500s. He joined FOX Sports activities in 2019 following stints at ESPN, Sporting Information, NASCAR Scene journal and The (Daytona Seashore) Information-Journal. Observe him on Twitter and Instagram @bobpockrass. On the lookout for extra NASCAR content material? Join the FOX Sports activities NASCAR E-newsletter with Bob Pockrass!

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